This Wednesday, I will take the Media Station out on it's maiden voyage...

I purchased the Roland E-600 for this 2 month gig, but I have decided to use the MS..

I have to edit a few more things and convert a few more styles..Everything else seems ready to go[things that I plan to use]..Like the Steinway piano, B4 organ, and MP3's..a few sequences too..

I will bring my Zune as a back up...Just in case, I have a unexpected problem..

So what percentage of that will be style play, and what percentage is mp3? And are the mp3's recordings of all Mediastation, or are they older ones of earlier gear...?

And are you using any SMFs, and are they converted to MS, or are you bringing the E600 (just in case)?

Just still curious as to whether you can do a whole gig on the MS in style or SMF mode. MP3s don't count, as they can be recordings of anything (and played back on far less expensive gear than an MS )

Oh, and finally, do you intend to use the pirated Tyros2 sounds and styles? Or are they all MS originals? (No condemnation, just curious...)

Diki, most of the MP3's were recorded on my G1000, and DisCover5...
I will use only a few styles for Ballroom dancer request..
As for "pirated Tyros2 sounds / styles"..I don't like anything about the Tyros or the styles..not interested at all..

MS is an expensive MP3 player..yes..and I love the way I can change keys on the fly..independent transpose for keyboard and MP3's..

I will only use maybe 3 or 4 sequences..

This MS is still the older hardware unit, and lacks the ram[never got around to bumping it up yet]..the styles are the weakness for me on my gigs..although many of the G70 conversions are ok..

One thing I need to address is selected break tunes...so I will use the Zune for this..

As for the E-600, I am still waiting for delivery...my new Super floppy drive...After I install it, and if it works the way I want..I will re consider using it at the CrabTrap..

Good luck Fran....give em hell with the MS!!

Hey in a pinch I could always go on line with the MS and download the Tyros styles...right on stage..

Fran, sounds like u have a killer combo worked out there for this gig.

will you be able to do some live recordings of u in action? videos or mp3s??

Ide love to see/hear how it all goes

Nick

So a $4k+ keyboard to do something your E600 and a laptop could do (or G70 and a laptop and you could actually USE styles!)...?

So your entire show (minus the ballroom requests) are mp3's? Virtually no arranger play at all? When you gig the G70, do you use it for style play a lot more, or do you use mp3s for everything with that, too? (Once again, no condemnation, just curious)....

I know it's probably a lot of work, but redoing your mp3s and using the GIGA drums and basses, etc., would definitely improve the overall sound of your show (the drums were the main reason I got rid of the G1000, the V-Drums are SO much better!), and actually USE the MS to it's strengths, I would have thought.... Just get that RAM maxxed out!

BTW, with a big enough HD, why go MP3 at all? Why not stay at 16/44 and have backing of as high a quality as the GIGA sounds? It seems a shame to have that high quality signal path the MS claims, and run an mp3, with it's obviously degraded audio quality, through it!

Diki, my work with the band..is a high energy show...With the right sound system[and we have the right sound system]...no one is listening and saying .."gee they are using 320 bitrate MP3's instead of 44.1 wave files"..And the sound is super ..even if they are MP3's..


Maybe for a home stereo system , wave is a must, but with a little know how [mixing]...my results do the job..

This whole idea at the CrabTrap for me is compromise...It is very crowded[they do a great business]..and for me to get thru the crowd and set up[I don't want to deal with 3 days a week]..

Leaving the E-600 on stage..I do not have to worry about someone messing with it...and Leaving the MS on stage..they need a forklift to take it away...

Songs that I need a style for band use, I already have recorded as MP3's...so I really do not need an arranger on the band jobs..

My Solo /duo work..No substitute..I use the G70..I use lyrics and chord reads with SMF's and styles too..I usually have the laptop with me always, but I am starting to use the Zune for breaks..

As for the quality of the MS, and "not taking advantage"....The Steinway sample and the B4 {VST} are superior to the G70[which I find very acceptable]...The only one that notices these better sounds...is me ..In the band mix..it doesn't matter at all..

Gosh, Fran. When I first saw the title of your post, I thought, wow, Fran is gonna play Herbie Hancock, but then..........

Probably just as well.

chas

Chas, I will give Herbie a call and see if he wants to sit in!!!

Yeah, right... Let us know about that when he shows up, Fran...!

I have often thought that, if you are doing an almost entirely MP3 show, why not hire a killer rhythm section for a day in a modest studio (rates are at an all time low) and use REAL musicians for the tracks? Get all the feel and nuance in, in a fraction of the time it would take to program it (and probably at a fraction of the price of buying high quality SMFs that always STILL need extensive tweaking!).

If you are going audio, why not go the whole way?